Just World Belief and Responsibility Attribution in Observed Verbal Sexual Harassment – A Survey among Male Students

Abstract

The article examines, based on a survey of male university students in Germany (N = 1 792), how different forms of belief in a just world shape the perception and judgement of female victims and male perpetrators following verbal sexual harassment. The focus lies on the attribution of responsibility to victims and perpetrators, as well as on the legitimation of victim blaming and the exoneration of perpetrators through the acceptance of rape myths. The results indicate that a strong belief in ultimate justice is associated with lower responsibility attribution to the perpetrator and higher blame attribution to the victim. By contrast, belief in immanent justice is linked to increased responsibility attribution to the victim. Furthermore, both forms of just world belief are associated with a stronger reliance on justification strategies that excuse the perpetrator.